Method of making tubular articles



Aug. 9, 1938.

c. J, KELLER METHOD OF MAKING TUBULAR ARTICLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Fild Aug. 31,1933

- INVENTOR 4/ B 5 ATTORNEY/Q Aug. 9, 1938. c. J. KELLER 2,126,473

METHOD OF MAKING TUBULAR ARTICLES Original Filed Aug. 31, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTQRNEW C. J. KELLER METHOD OF MAKING TUBULAR ARTICLES Original Filed Aug. 31, 1933 3: Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY/l Patented Aug.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Clarence J. Keller, Anderson, General Motors Corporation, corporation of Delaware Original application August 31, 1933, Serial No.

687,621. Patent No.

1937. Divided and Ind., assignor to Detroit, Mich, a

,081,038, dated May 18,

this application February 10, 1936, Serial No. 63,062

'8 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of tubular articles and more particularly to a novel method for tinuous strip of flat forming tubular articles from a conmaterial This novel method is practiced in an. apparatus which forms the subject matter of my Patent #2,081,038 granted tion Serial No. 687,621, filed on August 31, 1933,

May 18, 1937 on my applicaof which the present application is a division.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to devise a method whereby to form tubular articles from a continuous strip of flat material through such progr essive stages of configuration as will require the simplest of operations on the material.

It is another object of the present invention to provide in the tion of a portion of thereby any overlap of material or gap in reduced portion.

It is another obj method for diametric reduca tubular article, excluding the ect of the present invention to provide in the method for obtaining a knurled cylindrical portion in the tubular article.

It is another object of the present invention to provide in' the method for the configuration annular flange,

of the flange material or It is another object of the the method for the formation of a to provide in excluding thereby any overlap gap therein.

present invention bead in the cylindrical article wall.

These various objects are accomplished by notching a strip of material at regular intervals and by knurling the strip. Thereafter knurled and notched blanks are shorn off the strip, preferably by cutting of a notch so that terminate in semi-notches. formed into tubular shape through the lineof symmetry the severed edges of a blank Each blank is then through progressive stages of configuration, to wit, pre-bending of two severed edges out adjacent the blank,

into semi-cylindrical shape about an axis parallel to the severed edges, portions of the blank extend as the pre-bent blank ends which they partly cl whereby the adjoining end parallel legs and assume a position in use the semi-cylindrical blank and thus facilitate the final closing of the blank into tubular shape.

originally fiat blank The two semi-notches of the combine into a complete notch during formation of the semi-cylindrical blank into tubular shape.

The original notch in the strip and the combined notch in the tube are of the same shap e, having two substantially parallel walls merging into oppositely flaring walls near the open end of the notch. The notched tube end portion is then uniformly radially contracted whereby the substantially parallel notch walls approach and engage each other during the contraction, and the flaring notch walls combine into a wedge-shaped notch in the end of the contracted tube portion which is subsequently crimped inwardly until the walls of said wedgeshaped notch engage each other. In this manner, an annular flange is formed at the end of the contracted tube portion without any overlap of the flange material or gap therein. A bead is finally formed in the tube wall by forcing a portion of said wall into a die cavity which determines the shape and extent of the bead.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, illustrate successive steps in the configuration of flat strip material into a finished tubular article.

Fig. 6 diagrammatically illustrates the notching and knurling of the strip and the severance of notched and knurled blanks from said strip.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate the pre-bending of a blank into the shape shown in Fig. 2.

Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate the formation of a pre-bent blank into the semi-cylindrical shape shown in Fig. 3.

Figs. 11 to 13, inclusive, illustrate the formation of va semi-cylindrical tube into the tubular shape shown in Fig. 4. More particularly, Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section taken on line i2--i2 of Fig. 11. Figs. 14 to 18, inclusive, illustrate the contraction of the notched end portion of a tube and the formation of an annular flange at the end of the contracted tube portion as shown in Fig.5. More particularly, Fig. 15 is a fragmentary section taken on line i5--i5 of Fig. 14.

' Figs. 19 to 21, inclusive, illustrate the formation of a bead in the tube wall. More particularly, Fig. 20 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 20-20 of Fig. 19.

Referring to larly to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the instant method contemplates the formation of tubular articles, such as the illustrated socket 30, from a supply strip 32 of sheet material in a manner to be described presently. A notch 34' is punched into the supply strip 32 at equal distances so that the strip. portion 88 of the width w may be contracted into the reduced tube end 38 and an integral annular flange 52 may be formed at the end of the contracted tube portion (see Fig. 5). The strip portion 38 is then knurled and a notched and knurled blank 48 of the length L is subsequently shorn oif strip 32. Two opposite end surfaces 42 and 44 of the blank are then bent out of the main plane of blank 48. Thereafter, the blank is successively bent into the semicyiindrlcal shape 46 (see Fig. 3) and into the tubular shape 48 (see Fig. 4). Finally, the knurled and notched tube end 58 is uniformly radially contractedas shown at 88 in Fig. 5, the end of the contracted tube portion 88 is formed inwardly to provide an annular flange 52 and one or more beads 84 are raised in the cylindrical wall of socket 88.

In the following description reference is made to structure which is capable of performing the various steps of the novel method. It is to be understood, however, that the disclosed structure is merely exemplary and that other structure may be applied for the same method without departing from the spirit of this invention. It is likewise to be understood that the illustrated structure, or structure equivalent thereto, may be incorporated in one machine aggregate or may consist of independent aggregates, whichever mechanical expediency demands.

For simplicity of description, the various steps of the novel method will be described under the following headings and in the order in which they appear hereafter: Notching and knurling oi strip and severance of blanks, pro-bending of blank ends, formation of pre-bent blank into semi-cylindrical shape, formation of 'semi-cylindrical blank into tubular shape, contraction of slotted tube end and formation of annular flange, and formation'of bead in tube wall.

Notching and knurling of strip and severance of blanks Referring particularly to Fig. 6, a supply strip 82 is fed upon a support 68 by suitable feeding provisions such as the cooperating feed rolls 82 which may be intermittently rotated in opposite directions in any suitable manner, thereby to advance the strip 82 the distance L, i. e. the length of a blank 48. Mounted on the support 88 is a steel plate 84 which is provided with a cavity 88, adapted to cooperate with a correspondingly shaped, reciprocable punch 88 in order to cut a notch 34 in strip 82. Reciprocable independently of, or together with, punch 88 is a knurling die I8 which is of the same length and width as the knurled portion 88 of a blank 48. The lower surface 12 of die I8 engages and knurls the aligned strip portion 38 at the end of a downward stroke as can be readily understood. It is, of course, immaterial whether the strip is first knurled and then notched, or vice versa, neither is it imperative that the knurling operation takes place where indicated in Fig. 6, the only limitation being that the knurling die 18 performs on a proper strip portion, i. e. between two consecutive notches of the strip.

Having obtained a notched and knurled strip end as indicated in Fig. 6, blanks 48 are severed from said strip by any suitable structure such as the cooperating shear members 14 and 18. In the present instance, shear member I8 is mounted on support I and shear member 14 is reciprocabie into cooperation with its companion member 18 for severance of a blank 48 from the notched and knurled strip end 82a. It appears from Figs. 1, 2 and 6 that the strip end 32a is severed through the line of symmetry of a notch 84, so that each blank is provided with two complementary notch portions 34a which form a complete notch upon formation of the blank into tubular shape.

Pre-bending of blank ends Referring more particularly to Figs. '7 and 8, a severed blank 48 is placed on the top surface 18 of a member 88, opposite ends of said top surface being tapered as indicated at 82. Suitable stops 84 prevent lateral displacement of blank 48 while resting on surface I8. Cooperating with block 88 is a reciprocable member 86. the ends 88 of the bottom surface 88 of which are parallel to the surfaces 82 of the lower member 88. During descent of member 86 from the position shown in Fig. 7 to that shown in Fig. 8, the tapered surfaces 82 and 88 of members 88 and 88, respectively, cooperate to bend the two opposite ends 42, 44 of the blank out of the main plane thereof, so that the blank then assumes the shape shown in Figs. 2 and 8.

Formation of pre-bent blank into semi-cylindrical shape Referring particularly to Figs. 9 and 10, the pre-bent blank 48 is next placed on a cylindrical arbor 88 with the bent blank ends 42 projecting downwardly toward the arbor. It is imperative that the blank be centrally sustained on the arbor, and any suitable means (not shown) may be employed for locating the blank centrally on the arbor and for preventing said blank from gravitating off the arbor. The arbor itself is in the present instance shown stationary and carried by a base 92 which may provide a concave bed 94 to which the arbor is secured in any suitable manner. Cooperating with the arbor 98 is a reciprocable member 86, having a semi-circular groove 88 which is adapted to cooperate with arbor 88 to form the prebent blank 48 into the semi-cylindrical shape 48 upon descent of said member from the position shown in Fig. 9 to that shown in Fig. 10. It is obvious that the semi-cylindrical blank 48 can be removed from the arbor 98 only by iongitudinal travel thereon until it clears the arbor.

Formation of semi-cylindrical blank into tubular shape Referring more particularly to Figs. 11 to 13, inclusive, the semi-cylindrical blank 46 is now placed on a cylindrical arbor I88 which is preferably floatingly mounted in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 11 wherein the arbor is suitably secured to a base I82 which is vertically siidable in a recess I84 of a member I88. A spring-urged plunger I88 normally urges the base I82 and arbor into the upper-most position in which two lateral lugs II8 of said base engage shoulders I I2 of member I88.. Cooperating with arbor I88 is a lower forming member I I4, having a semi-cylinder wall II6. Also cooperating with arbor I 88 is a reciprocable bending member II8 which has a semi-cylindrical wall I 28 of the same dimensions as wall IIB, of member II4. Upon descent of member II8 from the uppermost position in Fig. 12, the wall I28 thereof will first engage blank 48 and firmly clamp the same against the arbor I88 as can be readily understood. Upon continued descent of member III, the arbor I88 with the blank 48, which is clamped they partly close the semi-cylinder and thus facilitate the final closing of the blank into tubular shape by the lower forming member II4.

his not imperative that the arbor I00 is floatingly mounted, instead arbor I00 may be stationary and the forming members H4, H8 maybe reciprocated toward and away from the arbor. However, for simplicityof construction and in order to eliminate considerable bending stresses in the arbor I00, it is preferable that the latter be floatingly mounted and that one. of the forming members H4, H8 be reciprocable and the companion member be stationary. Since the arbors 90 and I00 are of the same diameter, it is also advisable to form the pre-bent blank into the semi-cylindrical shape 46 on the floating arbor I00, 'in which case the forming member 96 would preferably cooperate with that portion of the floating arbor I00 which is located vertically above its base I02. The semi-cylindrical blank 46 would then merely have to be advanced on the arbor I00 in the direction of arrow I22 in Fig. 11

in order to be placed in cooperative alignment with the forming members II4, II8.

I Contraction of notched tubeand and formation of annular flange Referring more particularly to Figs. 14 to 18. inclusive, the tube 48 is next placed on an arbor I such that the notched tube end 50 is in alignment with a reduced arbor portion I82. Suitable clamps I36 and I86 may be reciprocated so that their semi-cylindrical surfaces I88 and I40, respectively, may'bear against the periphery of the tube 48 and clamp the same to the arbor I80. A contracting tool I42 is reciprocable coaxially of the arbor I30 and is provided with a recess I44 having a cylindrical wall I46 that is slightly tapered along its axis. Near the front face I48 of the tool the tapered portion I46 is flared or rounded as at I52, so as to deflect the adjacent tube end 50 into engagement with the reduced arbor portion I82 upon movement of tool I42 from the position shown in Fig. 14 progressively to those shown in Figs. 16, 1'7 and 18. During movement of tool I42 from the position shown in Fig. 16 to that shown in Fig. 1'7, the tapered or rounded wall portion I52 progressively contracts the adjacent tube end 50 into engagement with the reduced arbor portion I32, whereby the substantially parallel sidewalls I54 of the seminotches 34a. are forced into engagement with each other. In Fig. 17, a notch portion I56 is yet to becontracted upon further movement of tool I42 into the position shown in Fig. 18. The wall I46 merges into the bottom I51'of' the annular recess I44 at a radius which is utilized to crimp the end of the contracted tube portion 38 into open end of the notch. These flaring notch walls I68 combine to form a wedge-shaped notch I58 (see Fig. 17) during the contraction of the notched tube end 50 and prior to the flanging of the contracted tube end 88 as at 62. It can thus be understood that the notches 84 are so preformed as to permit of contraction of the notched tube end 60 and of flanging the contracted tube end 38 in such manner that the notch walls engage each other at I60 after such contraction and flanging, thus avoiding any overlap of material or gap in the reduced and flanged tube end.

To avoid removal of a tube 48 from the floating arbor I00 and deposition on the stationary arbor I30, the floating arbor I00 may be elongated to theright as viewed in Fig. 11 and reduced in diameter in the same. manner as at I32 in Fig. 14. In that case, the clamps I34, I36 are properly coordinated with the elongated floating arbor I00 in the fashion shown in Fig. 14, it being then imperative that the surface I38 of the lower clamp I34 is flush with the surface II6 I of the lower forming member H4 and that said lower clamp I34 is stationary and the other clamp I36 reciprocable, as can be readily understood.

It is then also imperative that the contracting tool I42 is not in coaxial alignment with the floating arbor in its uppermost position, but in its lowermost position as can be readily understood. By thus utilizing the floating arbor for the contraction and flanging of the notched tube end 50, the tube is transferred from the tube forming station to the tube contracting and flanging. station by mere advancement of the tube on the floating arbor.

Formation of bead in tube wall with the head I82 of a punch I84, slidable in a radial opening I06 of the arbor. Plunger I18 is normally urged to the right as viewed in Fig. 19

.by a compression spring I88, while motion of said plunger in that direction is restricted by a pin I which is secured to the arbor and extends through an oblong slot I92 of the plunger. Cooperating with the punch I86 is a bead cavity I94, provided by one of the clamps I12, I14. While the clamps I12, I14 hold a tube clamped to the arbor I10 and thus brace the tube wall externally and internally against lateral deformation except a segmental portion intermediate end portions of the tube, plunger I18 is moved from the position shown in Fig. 19 to that shown in Fig. 21 by means of a reciprocable ram I96, whereby the frustro-conical surface I80 forces punch I84 outwardly into the position shown in Fig. 21. During such movement of the punch I84, the bead forming end I98 thereof forces the adjacent tube wall portion into surface engagement with the bead cavity I94, thus forming a raised bead 54 in the tube wall. Upon retraction of ram I96 into the position in Fig. 19, the plunger I18 is also retracted under the compression of spring I88, thus permitting punch I84 to with draw from the raised bead, either by gravity or under the inducement of some mechanical or pneumatic provision (not shown).

For the sake of simplicity of construction and operation, the contracted and flanged tube may be beaded while remaining at the same place on the elongated floating arbor I00 where the contracting and flanging operation takes place. In that case one of the clamps I 34, I" may be provided with the bead cavity I, the elongated floating arbor Hill may carry the plunger I'll and the punch I84, and the ram I96 may be independently reciprocable through the contracting tool I42.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A method for making from a strip of sheet material tubular members having a reduced end portion terminating in an annular inward flange,

comprising the steps of notching one side of the strip at equal distances, each notch having substantially parallel wall portions terminating in outwardly flaring wall portions near the open end of the notch, severing the strip through consecutive notches to obtain blanks, each having a notch portion in the severed edges of the blank, forming a blank into tubular shape such that the notch portions combine to form a complete notch in an end portion of the tubular member, radially contracting the notched end portion of the tubular member until the parallel wallsof the notch substantially engage each other to form a tubular portion of a reduced dimension, said flaring notch-wall-portions combining to form a wedgeshaped notch in an end portion of the contracted tube portion, and bending said end portion of said contracted tube portion inwardly toward the axis of the tubular member to such extent that the edges of said wedge-shaped notch are forced into substantial engagement with each other.

2. A method for making from a strip of sheet material tubular members having a reduced end portion, comprising the steps of notching one side of the strip at equal distances, severing the strip through consecutive notches to obtain blanks, each having a notch portion in the severed edges of the blank, bending two opposite end portions of a blank including the severed edges so that said end portions form certain angles with the remainder of the blank, preforming a blank portion intermediate the bent end portions over an arbor into a part of the desired cross-sectional shape of the tubular member, forming all blank portions other than said preformed portion about the arbor into the other part of the desired cross-sectional shape of the tubular member whereby the notch portions combine to form a complete notch in an end portion of the tubular member, and radially contracting the notched end portion of the tubular member around a reduced portion of the arbor having a diameter such that the radial contraction of said notched end portion causes the edges of the notch to be forced into substantial engagement with each other.

3. A method for making from a strip of sheet material tubular members having a reduced end portion terminatingin an annular inward flange, comprising the steps of notching one side of the strip at equal distances, each notch having substantially parallel wall portions terminating in outwardly flaring wall portions near the open end of the notch. severing the strip through consecutive notches to obtain blanks, each having a notch portion in the severed edges of the blank, bending two' opposite end portions of a blank including the severed edges so that said end portions form certain angles with the remainder of the blank, preforming a blank portion intermediate the bent end portions over an arbor into a part of the desired cross-sectional shape of the tubular member, forming all blank portions other than said preformed portion around the arbor into the other part of the desired cross-sectional shape of the tubular member whereby the notch portions combine to form a complete notch in an end portion of the tubular member, radially contracting the notched end portion of the tubular member until the parallel walls of the notch substantially engage each other, said flaring notch-wallportions combining to form a wedge-shaped notch 'in an end portion of the contracted tube portion,

and bending said end portion of said contracted tube portion inwardly toward the axis of the tubular member to such extent that the edges of said wedge-shaped notch are forced into substantial engagement with each other.

4. A method for making from a strip of sheet material tubular members having a knurled portion and a reduced end portion, comprising the steps of notching one side of the strip at equal distances, knurling portions of the strip between consecutive notches, severing the strip through consecutive notches to obtain blanks, each having a knurled portion and a notch portion in the severed edges of the blank, bending two opposite end portions of a blank including the severed edges so that said end portions form certain angles with the remainder of the blank, preforming. a blank portion intermediate the bent end portions into a part of the desired cross-sectional shape of the tubular member, forming all blank portions other than said preformed portion into the other part of the desired cross-sectional shape of the tubular member whereby the notch portions combine to form a complete notch in an end portion of the tubular member, and radially contracting the notched end portion of the tubular member around an arbor having a diameter such that the radial contraction of said notched end portion causes the edges of the notch to be forced into substantial engagement with each other.

5 A method for making from a strip of sheet material tubular members, each having a bead and a reduced end portion terminating in an annular inward flange, comprising the steps of notching one side of the strip at equal distances, each notch having substantially parallel wall portions terminating in outwardly flaring wall portions near the open end of the notch, severing the strip through consecutive notches to obtain blanks, each having a notch portion in the severed edges of the blank, bending two opposite end portions of a blank including the severed edges so that said end portions form certain angles with the remainder of the blank, preforming a blank portion intermediate the bent end portions around an arbor into a part of the desired cross-sectional shape of the tubular member, forming all blank portions other than said preformed portion around the arbor into the other part of the desired cross-sectional shape of the tubular member whereby the notch portions combine to form a complete notch in an endportion of the tubular member, radially contracting the notched end portion of the tubular member around a reduced portion of the arbor having a diameter such that 'the radial contraction of said notched end portion causes the edges of the notch to be forced forming said end portion 01' said contracted tube portion inwardly and against the end of the reduced portion of the arbor in order to cause the edges of said wedge-shaped notch to be located in substantial engagement with'each other.

6. A method for making from a strip of sheet material tubular members, each having a bead, a knurled portion, and a reduced end portion terminating in an annular inward flange, comprising the steps of notching one side of the strip-at equal distances, each notch having substantially parallel wall portions terminating in outwardly flaring wall portions near the open end of the notch, knurling portions of the strip between consecutive notches, severing the'strip through consecutivenotches to obtain blanks, each having a knurled portion and a notch portion in the severed edges of the blank, bending two opposite end portions of a blank including the severed edges so that said end-portions form certain angles with the remainder of the blank, preforming a blank portion intermediate the bent end portions into a part of the desired cross-sectional shape of the tubular member, forming all blank portions other than said preformed portion into the other part of the desired cross-sectional shape ofthe tubular member whereby the notch por.-

tions combine to form a complete notch in an end portion of the tubular member, radially contracting the notched end portion of the tubular member until the parallel walls of the notch substantially engage each other, said flaring notch-wall-portions combining to form a wedgeshaped notch in an end portion of the contracted tube portion, bending said end portion of said contracted tube portion inwardly toward the axis of the tubular member to such extent that the edges of said wedge-shaped notch are forced into substantial engagement with each other, confin ing the wall of the tubular member against lateral deformation except a segmental portion intermediate end portions of the tubular member, and forcing said segmental wall portion outwardly into bead-shape.

7. The method of making a tubular member having a reduced end portion terminating in an internal annular flange comprising the formation of a blank having parallel side edges spaced apart nular/flange is formed, said side edges each beg Joined with the same end edge by a notch having an edge set infrom said side edge of the blank and parallel thereto, said set-in edge of each notch being joined with the end edge of the blank by an oblique or flared edge portion, forming said blank into tubular shape such that the notch portions combine to form a complete notch in an end portion of the tubular member, radially contracting the notched end portion of the tubu-l lar member until the parallel walls of the notch substantially engage with each other to form a tubular portion of reduced diameter, said flaring or oblique notch-edge-portions combining to'iorm a wedge-shaped notch in an end portion of the contracted tube portion, and, bending said end portion of said contracted tube portion inwardly toward the axis of the tubularmember to such err internal annular flange comprising the formation of a blank having parallel side edges spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the largest cir cumference of the completely formed, tubular member, and having parallel end edges spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the length of the tubular member before the internal annular flange is formed, said side edges each being joined with the same end edge by anotch having an edge set ,in from said side edge of the blank and parallel thereto, said set-in edge of each notch being joined with the end edge of the blank by an oblique or flared edge portion, forming said blank about a cylindrical arbor into tubular shape with the side edges of the blank abutting, the two notched portions of the blank combining to form a complete notch in an end portion of the tubular member, radially contracting the notched portion of the tubular member about a reduced portion of said arbor having a diameter such that the radial contraction of said notched end portion causes the edges of the notch to be forced into substantial engagement with each other, the oblique or flaring notch-edge-portions combining to form a wedge-shaped notch in the end portion of the contracted tube portion, and forming said end portion of said contracted tube portion inwardly and against the end of the reduced portion of the arbor in order to cause the edges of said wedgeshaped notch to be located in substantial engagement with each other.

D CLARENCE -J. KELLER.- 

